1. Field
The present technology relates to protection circuit modules that include a thermistor and a secondary battery pack having the same, and more particularly, to a secondary battery pack and a protection circuit module in which a thermistor is fixed.
2. Description of the Related Technology
A thermistor is a protection element used for secondary battery packs and a type of resistor whose unique resistance varies with temperature. Thermistors can be classified into a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor formed of a NTC material, which has a resistance that decreases with increasing temperature, and a positive temperature coefficient thermistor (PTC) formed of a PTC material, which has a resistance that increases with increasing temperature. The PTC material has a relatively low resistance at normal temperatures, allowing current to flow smoothly. However, when the PTC material increases in temperature due to increases in the ambient temperature or an overcurrent, resistance can increase about 1000 to 10000 times or more compared to the initial resistance, to block flowing current. Thus, the PTC material is widely used to protect various electronic components from overheating or overcurrents.